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Wednesday, 30 August 2017

Christian girl fostered by Muslim parents rejoins family

A Christian girl who was living with Muslim foster carers has been reunited with her family following a court ruling.

The five-year-old had been placed in the foster family's care by Tower Hamlets Council in east London.

She is now living with her grandmother after a judge ruled against the local authority's placement.

The decision was made by Judge Khatun Sapnara, who re-examined the case on Tuesday, said a spokesman for the Judicial Office, which represents judges.

The Times reported on Monday that the English-speaking girl was left confused and upset by the foster family's use of Arabic.

The newspaper said her necklace, which had a cross, was allegedly removed by the carers - and they had refused to allow the girl to eat spaghetti carbonara because it contained bacon.

A social services supervisor reportedly said the child had sobbed and begged not to be returned to the foster family because of the language divide.

Anne Longfield, the children's commissioner, said she was "concerned" at the reports.

"A child's religious, racial and cultural background should be taken into consideration when they are placed with foster carers," she said in a statement.

Social services bosses at the London council said there had been "inaccuracies" in reports and that the child had been temporarily placed with an "English-speaking family of mixed race".

A council spokesman said in a statement that staff have "always been working towards the child being looked after by a family member".

"We would like to give more details but we are legally restricted to do so," he said.

He added: "Tower Hamlets Council has the welfare of children at the heart of what we do.

"The decision to choose foster carers for a child is based on a number of factors including cultural background and proximity to promote contact with the child's family and the child's school in order to give them as much stability as possible."